Topic outline

  • Lectures

    The course spans over the 3rd and 4th period and consists of 2h lectures (Tuesdays) and 2h exercise sessions (Thursdays) weekly. The lectures introduce the material, while the real learning takes place when working on the exercises. We aim at presenting the theory as rigorously as possible within the time constraints, and the exercises will contain not only analytical work but also computational problems whenever feasible.
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    A draft schedule for the lectures is below. It will be updated as the course progresses. We try not to use slides but, rather, will provide students with real write-ups of the course material and walk through the main issues at the blackboard during lectures.

    1. Review of basic plasma physics and course practicies (8.1. TKS)
    2. Kinetic approach to plasmas: Fokker-Planck equation (15.1. TKS)
    3. The collision operator I: derivation (22.1. EH)
    4. The collision operator II: properties (29.1. EH)
    5. The collision operator III: applications (5.2. EH)
    6. Guiding-center formalism (12.2.)
    7. Plasma as a fluid: Braginskii equations (26.2. LC)
    8. Micro-instabilities in (fluid) plasmas (5.3. LC)
    9. Drift wave turbulence and Zonal flows (12.3. LC)
    10. Reduction of turbulent models to advection-diffusion equation (19.3. LC)
    11. Computational session I (26.3. JV)
    12. Computational session II (XX.X JV/LC)
    13. Plasma equilibrium (XX.X.TKS)
    The course staff consists of (in alphabetical order) Dr. Laurent Chone, Dr. Eero Hirvijoki, Dr. Taina Kurki-Suonio and Mr. Jari Varje.

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Assignments